Blackout

Tara Pennington glanced up from the huge pile of notes and forms on her desk and sighed. The office was almost empty; everyone who could afford too had already left for the evening. Tara was staying till five today because she had already used up a lot of her sick time and it wasn’t worth it to leave early and get stuck in traffic anyway. The only other people left in the office were Ronnie and Tab.

Ronnie was a supervisor and the most hated person in the office. She was tall and thin with angular features and way too much muscle for a woman. She had long legs, dark hair and dark eyes. She was also an out lesbian and she made no bones about it. She constantly tried to flirt with the married women in the office and took great pleasure in embarrassing them. Tara was one of her favorite targets because the small woman was very shy, retiring and she was physically intimidated by Ronnie. She was also pretty naïve and from the Midwest, having moved to New York only three short months ago. Ronnie seemed to take sadistic glee in affronting her Midwestern values and seeing her blush.

Tab didn’t work in the office and was Ronnie’s partner in crime. She worked three floors down as a security guard in the claims department and was only up here to screw around with Ronnie until they could split. Tab was a big woman, not just tall like Ronnie, but big and she was ugly where Ronnie could at least look attractive when she wanted too. Tab’s face was flat, her nose had been broken a few times and her eyes were a strange shade of green. Her big hands were rough and her knuckles were scarred. She wore her red hair in a severe buzz cut that left her looking like her scalp was rusting. She simply scared Tara to death and the small blonde avoided her like the plague.

They were both standing by the water cooler and Tara watched as they both took some pills. Tara wondered what they were taking and then decided she didn’t want to know. She was alone with them and they weren’t harassing her so she was happy. The small blonde had no interest in drawing attention to herself, especially when the three of them were alone in the office. Tab and Ronnie did everything together and one of the most embarrassing things in her life had been the day in the cafeteria when they sat on either side of her and discussed the woman they had picked up and taken home to “double team” the night before. Tara blushed just remembering it and went back to her paper work. A few minutes later she was startled by a knock on her office door. She looked up to find Tab and Ronnie standing there.

“Come on girl, let’s blow this place,” Ronnie said. They both seemed to be in a good mood and Tara was glad of that. Ronnie could be a bitch when she was in a bad mood and Tab was just plain scary. She glanced at the clock and saw it was five till four.

“Y’all go ahead, I really need to stay ‘til five,”

“Fuck that, I gotta close up tonight,” Ronnie said amiably.

“I’ll do it,” Tara said.

“Screw it, I’m already signed out at five, just leave your time-card blank. When numb-nuts comes in and asks, I’ll tell him you left when I did. He won’t buck me,” Ronnie said.

“I really shouldn’t,” Tara began but Tab interrupted her.

“Get up bitch, that X is going to hit soon and I don’t want to be stuck in this shit hole when it does,” Tab ordered.

Tara reluctantly rose, grabbed her purse and followed the two of them out, it never even occurred to her to not do as Tab ordered. Ronnie stopped to lock up and Tara hurried to the elevators. She was glad Tab had stopped with Ronnie and she pressed the call button several times. The elevator seemed to take forever and she found herself pushing the button again and again. She didn’t want to have to share an elevator with Tab and Ronnie, especially if they were taking drugs.

She breathed a sigh of relief when the bell rang and the empty car opened, she had just stepped in and was about to hit the button when she heard Ronnie shout.

“Hold it!”

Tara hesitated only a second, but moved her finger from the ground floor button to the door open one. She probably could have gotten off if she had pressed the button, but she didn’t want to have the two of them angry with her. She could stand their company for the ride down, after all, what could happen in that short a time, she thought?

The two of them ran to the car and once inside Ronnie pressed the button and the doors slid shut. Tara moved to the back corner of the car and hoped someone would join them soon. The two gay women made her extremely nervous.

The elevator began a smooth descent when the lights suddenly flickered and they were plunged into darkness. The lights came back on and the elevator began to move again. Tara barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when the car shuddered to a stop and they were again plunged into utter darkness.

“What the fuck?” Tab’s disembodied voice called from the front corner of the elevator.

“Terrorists!” Tara blurted out in abject fear. She had always hated the dark and was mildly claustrophobic She could see nothing at all in the inky blackness and felt her skin crawl.

“Relax chicky, it’s just a brown out. Lights will be back on soon,” Ronnie said confidently.

Tara shrank into the corner, where she could feel the walls on either side of her and sank down to the floor. Nameless dread washed over her and she fought to keep from vomiting. Her skin was clammy already and she started shaking.

“How long is this shit going to last?” Tab’s voice seemed to echo in the small chamber.

“Relax bitch, what’s the matter? Afraid of the dark?” Ronnie called.

“Fuck you, I ain’t afraid of nothing and there ain’t but one bitch in here,” Tab said. Her voice was different, higher pitched and surly. At least it seemed so to Tara.

“How bout that, Tab thinks you’re a bitch Tara, what do you say to that?’ Ronnie’s voice called.

“I’ve never been mean to anyone,” Tara said. Her voice sounded very small and fearful. Ronnie and Tab both laughed.

“She didn’t mean a bitch like that,” Ronnie said. Tara was starting to shake harder, she could feel the rising panic and tried to fight it down.

“I don’t understand,” she said. At least their voices let her know she wasn’t alone. If she had been she knew she would be in real trouble.

“Well, it’s like this. Me and Ronnie are butch, a lipstick lez is a bitch. So you’re a bitch, ‘cause you sure as hell ain’t a butch,” Tab said.

Tara was slowly getting her fear under control. She chose to ignore the comment, and concentrated on breathing deeply. Her breath came in shuddering gasps.

“You alright?” Tab asked.

“Yes,” Tara said with difficulty, “I’m just a little claustrophobic,”

Tab started to say something derogatory, but Ronnie interrupted her.

“So, where ya wanna go tonight?” Ronnie said. Her voice had moved to the front of the car, near the control panel.

“I don’t care. We just need to get there soon; this is good shit and something is getting fucked tonight,” Tab said and laughed.

“Yeah, my pussy is already tingling,” Ronnie said.

Tara blushed furiously and for a few moments forgot her fear, but it welled back up as soon as the silence came again. The dark she could stand with effort, but when coupled with silence and a small space it was terrifying beyond rational explanation. She always remembered the time as a child of six she rode out a tornado alone in an abandoned storm cellar. It had been filled with bugs and rats, unseen scurrying in the absolute darkness. They had crawled over her and bitten her and she had screamed until her voice cracked. She was nearly catatonic when her father found her and it had taken years before she could even manage to sleep without all the lights in the house on. Even now she had a nightlight on her nightstand at home.

“Mine too, could use a little tongue action to sooth the itch. Hey bitch, come on over here and give me some head,” Tab’s voice called. Tara felt herself blush from her head to her feet and Ronnie burst out laughing. She was lightheaded and dizzy, a feeling similar to vertigo. She knew she was loosing her grip and she prayed the lights would come on soon.

“Yeah, when you finish with her my cunt could use some attention too,” Ronnie said.

“How ‘'bout it? Ever tasted fresh pussy?” Tab’s voice said.

“You two are terrible,” Tara managed and giggled. The overwhelming panic always did this to her. Her best friend called it a ‘runner’s high’, when the panic became so strong that her body began to release endorphins. Tara compared it to being really buzzed, a kind of strange feeling where her inhibitions were lowered and her judgment became increasingly impaired. God, please let the lights come back on, she prayed. Tab started to say something but Ronnie shushed her.

“Earl? Yeah, it’s Rhonda, what’s going on?” Ronnie’s voice said.

“You’re fucking kidding!! How long? Son of a bitch!” Ronnie shouted, causing Tara to start.

“No, were all right. Huh? Oh, Me, Tabitha Hunter and Tara Pennington,” Ronnie said. Tara finally realized the tall woman had found the emergency phone in the elevator. She would never have remembered it. She was still scared, but she felt a little better with Tab and Ronnie there. At least she wasn’t alone. She thought back to the decision to hold the door and smiled, sometimes little acts of kindness came back to you in a big way, she thought.

“Yeah, Fuck you very much,” Ronnie said and slammed the phone down.

“We are so screwed.”

“Why? What’s up?” Tab’s voice sounded in the darkness.

“Power’s out all over the Northeast. It could be days before they get it back on.”

“We could starve to death!” Tara blurted, her imagination running away with her and the unreasoning panic welled up again until she felt her chest would burst.

“Relax baby, you’ll have plenty to eat,” Tab said and snickered.

“Yeah, survival rations of pussy,” Ronnie laughed. Tara shook her head. The two city girls and their banter embarrassed her, but they gave her some comfort. She knew she would be going insane by now if she were alone. At least at this rate by the time they did get out she wouldn’t blush so much, she thought. She felt a silly smile on her face and knew she was coming unglued. The darkness would always win over her, she thought. At least she wasn’t alone, the silence in that darkness would have killed her, she just knew it.

“So how long are we stuck here?” Tab asked.

“I don’t know, Earl said he called 911, but there are thousands of people trapped in elevators, I wouldn’t bet on getting out tonight,”

“What the fuck are we going to do?” Tab said.

“Don’t know about you, but I am going to shuck these panties and let my fingers do the walking,” Ronnie said.

“Guess there ain’t no other option,” Tab said glumly.

Her voice faded away and the elevator became as silent as a tomb. Tara was fighting back her panic again as the silence stretched on. Eventually her ear caught a sound from the front of the elevator. It was a kind of wet, squishy sound. Tara couldn’t believe it and the sheer audacity of if cut through her panic. Surely they were just joking with her? They couldn’t be seriously…masturbating in the elevator!!

“Ohhhh…” a quiet moan came from the corner of the elevator where Tab had been standing when the lights went out. Tara swallowed hard. She was still in shock that anyone could be so brazen. The soft wet sounds were in stereo now. The darkness had a strange effect, it seemed to sharpen her other senses. She wrinkled her nose as she began to detect a faintly musky odor.

“Oh my god!”

“What?” Ronnie’s disembodied voice called.

“You’re really masturbating!?”

“Of course, unless you have a better suggestion?” Ronnie said sardonically.

“I do, you can crawl over here and give my hand a rest,” Tab said.

“Not in this life,” Ronnie said.

“Wasn’t talking to you,” Tab grunted. Ronnie chuckled. For a while there was silence again. Tara was still fighting her panic, but she was surrounded by the smell and sounds of sex. Despite her wishes to be disgusted she felt herself getting damp and becoming aroused. Her senses seemed so acute in the inky blackness and any sound, even that of the two women stroking their pussies was welcome.

“Ever tried it, Tara?” Ronnie asked. Her voice sounded normal, but a little deeper.

“No, I never have,” Tara said.

“Ever thought about it?” Tab grunted.

“I guess so,” Tara admitted.

“So why haven’t you ever?” Ronnie asked.

“I don’t know, I guess I never had the opportunity,” Tara said thinking about it. That wasn’t really true. In college her roommate had offered, but Tara was too shy to make the first move and Nancy hadn’t pushed it.

“Well, opportunity is knocking girly,” Ronnie said with amusement in her voice.

“Oh no… I couldn’t,” Tara said quickly.

“Why not?” Tab’s voice said. Was it her imagination or was the voice closer to her?

“I’m married for one, besides it would just be wrong.”

“Why would it be wrong?” Ronnie’s voice said. It seemed closer to her too.

“I don’t know, it just would be,” Tara said. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Tab spoke again, the big woman’s voice was right in her ear.

“Bullshit, if you ever got a little taste I bet you wouldn’t go back to your husband,”

“I don’t think…” she began, but gasped when she felt a hand brush her calf.

“You’ve got nice legs,” Ronnie’s voice said from somewhere in front of her.

“Thank you,” Tara squeaked.

“I’ve daydreamed about having them wrapped around my waist,” Ronnie said conversationally.

Tara didn’t know what to say, she felt a hand caress her bare arm and jerked it away. A finger traced lightly up her shin and over her knee.

“Wait, I don’t…”

“What?” Ronnie’s voice said. The finger on her leg traced slowly up her thigh, stopping only when it reached the hem of her dress. She felt unseen hands grab her hand and hold it. Soon a second finger slowly traced up her arm.

“Yeah, what?” Tab said. Tara swallowed hard. The finger on her thigh was making small sensuous circles and the one on her arm had traced up to her sleeve. She felt funny inside, all fluttery and tense. This was getting out of hand fast, she thought. She cleared her throat and tried to speak assertively, but her voice was tremulous.

“Really, we need to stop,”

“Stop what?” Ronnie asked innocently.

“Oh my god,” Tara groaned when she felt a warm wet tongue run along the crease of the inside of her elbow.

“That didn’t sound like you wanted it to stop,” Ronnie said. She felt a hand on her other thigh, slowly stroking her leg through her stockings.

The soft lips and tongue were moving slowly up her arm following the trail blazed by the finger. That finger sent shivers through her body as it slid along her shoulder blade and up her neck. She gasped when the two hands moved up her thighs, carrying her skirt hem with them.

Tara swallowed hard. She tried to find her voice, but it wouldn’t come. She tried to move away, but her limbs seemed like lead and refused to obey her commands. She felt a knot in her stomach that was strange and insistent, not like the fear and panic, but disconcerting nonetheless.

Two women, in total darkness and yet they seemed to be able to see. Maybe they just knew each other so well or perhaps it was just fate. Tara opened her mouth and started to just say stop, but at that exact moment, the lips jumped from her shoulder to her neck and the long hands crossed her stocking tops and caressed the bare skin of her upper thighs. Instead of a command to stop, a low moan was all that escaped from her lips.

It felt so good, she could feel her breath catch in her throat and her heart was hammering in her chest. She had to put a stop to this, but how? Her body was betraying her and she felt her will to stop it slipping away.

The hands slid further up her thighs, the long fingers sliding under the leg-bands of her panties and the thumbs bumped against her crotch. An electric thrill passed through her and the knot in her stomach exploded in a warm euphoric surge.

“You’re wet baby,” Ronnie’s voice said, it seemed to be right in front of her face. Tara was so embarrassed, but she moaned softly when those thumbs began to stroke her slick panties. The tongue had reached her ear and was gently flicking along the outer edge. A soft warm breath was exhaled that sent a shiver of pleasure through her.

“Relax, you’re gonna love it,” Tab said in a breathy whisper.

“L.l.love what?” Tara stuttered.

“This,” Tab said and Tara felt lips pressed against her own. A tongue probed at her lips and they parted of their own accord. The tongue thrust into her mouth and Tab began to french kiss her. Tara had never been kissed like this, the woman’s tongue seemed unusually long and active, caressing her teeth and sliding over her own tongue. The hands on her thighs slid out of her panties and gently pushed her legs further apart. Involuntarily her legs gave in to that gentle but firm pressure. She felt her dress slide up and bunch around her waist.

The searing kiss continued and Tara felt helpless as two hands moved to either side of her face and held her head while the tongue continued to ravish her mouth. She felt a thumb hook into the leg-band of her panties and pull them to one side. The air felt cool on her hot and damp pussy. It was hard to try and protest with Tab’s tongue shoved down her throat, and when the jolt of pleasure from Ronnie’s fingers rubbing along her lips hit she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

“I think it’s getting hot in here,” Ronnie said.

The kiss broke and Tab’s voice said “Yeah, it is kinda stuffy, what do you think, hot stuff?”

It was blatantly obvious where this line of questioning was leading, but Tara was still grappling with conflicting emotions and her body was overloaded with the intensity of the sensations she had just experienced. Ronnie’s fingers still stroked her sensitive lips and it was kinda stuffy in the car.

“It is kinda stuffy,” she said. Her voice was husky and she almost didn’t recognize it.

“Well, we better do something about that,” Ronnie said and chuckled. Tara was unprepared when a pair of hands caught hers and pulled her to her feet.

“Wha..?” she started, but her voice trailed off when she felt fingers fumbling for the zipper of her dress.

The hands, which were holding hers, tightened as she tried to stop the others from undoing the zipper.

“Wait, I’m not…”

Her arms were pushed apart and lips pressed to hers, before she could assimilate what was happening a tongue was deep in her mouth, cutting off her words. This tongue was different, it was thinner and more agile, but Tara lost her train of though when it began to forcefully fuck her mouth. She felt the cool air as the zipper slid down to her mid back. The noise was unusually loud in the darkness.

Hands were tugging her dress down and the ones on her wrists released their grip. Those hands moved around her waist and held her tightly while the others pulled her dress off her suddenly limp arms. She panicked for a moment when she felt the dress catch on her hips and realized she was nearly naked! Then another tug and the dress moved past her hips. She felt the expensive silk pool at her ankles and knew she was now standing in the middle of an elevator in just her underwear. She was terribly embarrassed, but also very turned on.

A pair of arms slipped around her body and she felt them pressed onto her thighs. She felt Tab’s wide body on her back as the woman stood up from her semi-crouch. Tab kept her hands open and her fingers spread as she dragged them up the inside of Tara’s legs, over her mound, up her tummy and then cupped her breasts. She began to squeeze the sensitive orbs and Tara moaned into Ronnie’s mouth when she felt a warm tongue flick over her ear.